Getting Better
February 1, 2010
Here is what I learned when I was stuck at home recovering from minor surgery: I am lucky to have family and friends who want to help. I also learned how much of that helping involves food. As I convalesced, dinner was a high point in an otherwise monotonous day.
The first night, my husband got take-out. The second night, a friend came by with a full course meal. Then my sister arrived. It was so comforting to have her around, and it took the burden off of my husband, who had already spent a lot of time helping me pre-surgery.
Although my sister learned to cook just like I did, from our mother and grandmother, her tastes and life experiences are different. So it was surprising to see what dishes emerged from my own kitchen – some things I never would have made, some things I wished I was ambitious enough to make, a couple of things I was happy enough to eat only once.
Thanks to my sister's efforts, we were even able to invite friends over for dinner. It turned the recovery from a grim slog into something sociable. Now I am recovered, my sister has gone home, and my friends even owe me a meal!
Mealtimes Matter Video
from Miriam Weinstein
About Miriam
Miriam Weinstein is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. As a journalist, she has won several awards from the New England Press Association. Her work has appeared in Boston Magazine, the Boston Globe magazine, Hope, and ParentSource. A former staff member for North Shore Weeklies and freelancer for Essex County Newspapers, she writes restaurant reviews and food columns as well as features on a wide variety of subjects. She lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with her husband and has two grown children.
The Surprising Power of Family Meals
In her book, The Surprising Power of Family Meals, Miriam Weinstein shows how this basic human institution helps nourish and strengthen our families today. You can buy this book from our friends at Smucker's® Online Store.
